The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. THURSDAY, AUG. 4, 1892.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3129, 4 August 1892, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

THURSDAY, AUG. 4, 1892.

Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political.

It has for many years been a popular belief that the sanctioning of the cultivation and usfs of opium by the Indian Government was a disgrace to the British nation. This belief was created in the first place by the statements oi men on public platforms—notably that of Exeter Hall —who derived their information second-hand. The language was taxed heavily to find adjectives numerous and strong enough to express the hori-or of these hysterical speakers at tacts which were provided for tlnem by others or absolutely the creation of their own morbid imaginations. The whole population, according to these gentlemen, was being ruined, morally and physically, in; order to replenish the Indian exchequer. Sir Joseph Pease has recently made an attempt to secure legislation by Parliament to prohibit the cultivation of opium throughout the -wholo of British India, and he and his friends have added a little more colour to the pictures which former generations hare left behind them. This has brought forth replies from two men, uttprly refuting the wild statements put forth; men who, from their position, are exceptionally well informed, and whose characters are irreproachable. Mr jttoare, the Vice-11

Prosident of the Wesleyan Missioi College in Madras, says:—" It ha; become a wonder with many of u in India hoto Christian men cai tolerate such violence of lauguagi as wins the plaudits of Exeter Hall I yield to no one in my de sire to see the consumption o stimulants, whether alcoholic o narcotic, placed under the severes control, and brought within thi smallest possible limits. But ai agitation based on mis statements whose falsity is known to ever; serious enquire* , in India, and car ried on by the aid of lime ligh pictures of horrors which ever such enquirer knows to be alto gether imaginary or grossly exager ated is a mere mockery." Thi writer, in reply to a pamphle which represented the Madra Presidency " As consuming enougl opium to poison its population, i unused to opium, three times over,' gives the following figures :—/ population of thirty-five millioni consumes annually 67,0001bs o opium. He adds: "limagine thi temperance party would be in higl glee if only 67,000 barrels of beei or bottles of brandy were consumec in Great Britain during a year.' The sole right to sell opium in the city of Madras only realised a 1 auction £1000. What Mr Hoare asks would be the feelings of a temperance advocate if he hoard that in Birmingham with an equal population the exclusive right to sell beer for a year only realised £1000. He visited the different classes oi dens, and describee what he saw. The worst was a filthy hovel with about twenty men, crowded into two small rooms, and about twenty outside. Some were not smoking, some were drowsy, all were awake and quiet. The place seemed decent enough to one who remembers the reeking odours, glare and language of a London gin-palace. He describes a better class of opium §hop as being kept by a decent English - speaking China-

man. Outside some men were smoking the deleterious drug ganja made from the Indian hemp. There were about 25 inside. Some were in a drowsy state, others were smoking quietly. Complete silence prevailed. Mr Hoare has arrived at the conclusion that the opium trade as conducted iu India is much less injurious than the liquor traffic in England. Dr. Moyatt, who is recognised as a man of high scientific attainments, states that he examined the carefully kept records of the Calcutta hospitals, giving 302,374 cases and "not a single case of either sickness of death was returned as caused by the use or abuse of opium." The above facts should be interesting to every British subject as th6y remove the stigma which has rested upon us as a people, that for the sake of revenue we nave encouraged the people of India to indulge in a debasing and physically injurious practice. We are not prepared to maintain that the prohibition of the use of opium might not be beneficial, but the Indian government has to consider what would be the probable results, and whether it is worth while to sacrifice revenue in order to put down one evil with tho result that a worse would arise from its ashes. The native press has pointed out that the inevitable result would be resort to the use of alcoholic liquors. One of the leading papers thus sums up an article on " The Moral Aspects of the Opium Question " :— "If the people are deprived by legislation of the use of opium they will be driven to the use of more dangprous drug<3, ' chang' or spirituous liquors." Englishmen are frequently taunted by foreigners on the opium question, and it is well that all should be in a position to refute the calumny, for that reason we have referred to the question. At 2.50 p.m. yesterday, Commander Edwin wired: "Indications of frost to-night, and glass falling." We would draw attention to the alteration in the date of McNicol's sale at Messrs Thomas Bros., Hautapn, which has now been fixed for Friday, August 12th. The return of Hon. A. J. Balfour for the East division of Manchester, will be petitioned against on the grounds of illegal practices. The discovery of America by Columbus, in vessels supplied by the sovereigns of Spain, will be celebrated by a joint naval display. The Franchise Bill, at the Cape, increasing the qualification to occupation of property worth £75, has passed both branches of the Legislature. Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday nights were, we are sure, the coldest which have been experienced in Waikato this winter, or indeed for many years past. At Hamilton East 7, 9 and 8 degrees of frost were indicated on these nights respectively, and at 9 a.m. on Tuesday 3 degrees of frost were registered. Last night tho weather was milder, and there was every appearance of rain setting in. A gentleman who has lately ridden from Katikati to Te Aroha reports that there are some veritable mantraps on the road, and he cautions riders to be careful in trusting themselves to many of the newly made up slips. He had the curiosity to examine one that looked more suspicious than the others, and found that the light stringers supporting the earth were kept in their places by forked sticks lightly driven in. The weight of a horso or a bullock would most assuredly carry it away. As will be seen, by an advertisement this morning, a Puiich and Judy show will be given on Friday evening, in the Oddfellows' Hall, Hamilton East, and on Saturday afternoon and evening and Monday evening in the Volunteer Hall, Hamilton West. As it is a number of years since a show of this description has visited \\ aikato, and it is a favourite with children at all times, no doubt the proprietors wilt do a good business. At the evening exhibitions, a grand panorama of " Round the World and Australian Bushrangers" will be given. Tawhiao has broken the record, for on Saturday last at the native Parliament House, at Mannirakawa, he delivered the shortest " Speech from the Throne " >ve have ever met with. It was as follows :— " Listen to my words, my friends, the chiefs, and all assembled ; pay great attention to my words, for I will not hold bask anything I have to say. The lands are the Government's now. In former days they were ours. Let my words now be published throughout the island so that Pakehas and Maoris can all see and hear that is what I si). I do not wish for us only to hear, but that all shall hear. I wish all visitors from a distance to return to their separate kaingas." He then asked the Maungakawa and Maungatautari natives to remain and moet a representative of the Government. Porana Te On Ori aaid :■—" Suffice it! Let me and my people return to Maungatautari till the arrival of the Government official. When he arrived we will meet you neain." This was a *hort seesion with a vengeance, and it certainly denotes that Tawhiao has "caved in," and intends owning up to the pension. :>

Mr T. Milvain, Q,.C, formerly tnomber for Durham, will oppose Mr Morley's re-election at Newcastle. A prisoner at Glasgow has confessed that be w.is employed to assist in the murders of Leitriin and Mounttnorrin by the man whn shot Carey, the "Irish Informer," at the Cape. Iα our report of the Thames v Taranaki football match, which took place at the Thames yesterday, it will be observed that Kinsley converted a try into a goal for Taranaki. Our foetball friends will remember that Kingsley is an old Hamilton boy, and was connected with the Hamilton Football Club for some time. When referring to the successful passing of pupil teachers at the recent examination, to last Saturday's is«ue, we omitted to mention that Mr Colin K. Munro, eon of Mr Donald Munro, of Paterangi, passed with the highest percentage of any Hrßt-year pupil teacher in Waikato, it being 72'6. In two of the subjects he gained cent, per cent. A. lecture on Astronomy will be delivered in the Volunteer Hall, on Wednesday, the 10th August, by the Rev. J. Thomas. Astronomy has been studied by Mr Thomas, and hie lecture ie not only delivered in a popular and instructive style, but is illustrated by a first-class "Pamphengos " magic lantern and over 40 really excellent drawings and photographs of the' heavenly bodies. The price of admission too, is so small for such an entertainment, that a full house should be ensured. On Tuesday afternoon a middleaged man named Henry Newby Goodwyn, who has been partially paralysed for some time, was admitted to the Waikato Hospital, suffering from sceptic absorption, in addition to the above complaint, brought on by bed sores through lying on a rough bed. Goodwyn, who is unable to walk, was carried all the way from Waingaro, where he has been staying lately, to Ngaruawahia on Monday night on a stretcher, a distance of over sixteen miles. He is in a very critical state, small hopes being entertained of bis recovery; We would ask our readers to peruse attentively the advertisement of Messra E. C. Pilkington and Co., which appears in our columns. This is a new firm, but though that is true of them as a business co-partners they are old and well-respected settlers, the head of the firm, Mr B. C. Pilkington. being the son of Mr H. Y. Pilkington, of Tamaki, so long and favourably known as a successful farmer and

i colonist. This firm have a very large and . carefully-selected stock of sound and 3 thoroughly clean seed, specially bought and imported by them. It consists of all the '• usual kinrig of vegetable, farm, flower, and f tree seeds. They have besides a great , variety (according to season) of fruit and ornamental trees, bulbs, plants, shrubs, and - garden requisites. Their garden seeds have q been tested, and are a specialty. The firm r guarantees to do all that care, attention, » and experience can do to secure the in- '• terests of their customers. Catalogues will ) be sent to any address on application. We 9 feel sura that farmers and others will find it to their advantage to entrust their orders 9 to this firm, and we feel confident they will I be well satisfied with the articles supplied. The premises of the firm are most centrally situated in Queen-atreet, Auckland, near 1. Durham-street, and convenient to both j saloyards. The window of their establishment wae quite attractive last sale-day with ' various kinds of pot plants and flowers.